Shadow of the Crimson Mist (L'Ombre de la Brume Écarlate)
by ArienMerimac
Summary: Since he came back to keep his own words, Luke is wondering a lot and he doesn't know what's happening to him, nor if someone could help him. And he'll find out that friendly visits aren't just some good things... One Shot written with Celice Chalphy (/u/2473936/), done on the 6th of July 2012. Featuring Jade CURTISS


_This little OS on Tales Of The Abyss' postgame focuses on Luke's concern since his return. Have a nice reading!_

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**Shadow of the Crimson Mist**

06:30 pm

He began to feel like the time was really passing by at a snail's pace. And yet, the room had already been empty for a while now. If he had managed to come here, it certainly wasn't for waiting for so long...

"But what the heck is he doing? I've been waiting for an hour!" He grunted when the door opened.

"Is something wrong?"

The general was finally ready to meet him. The young man stood up and headed towards the serviceman. The latter noticed his annoyance, so he didn't add a thing. Both of them ended up sitting at his desk.

While they settled, the blazing haired civilian could hear an uncommon sound. Stunned, he looked at his elder:

"What's this noise, Jade?"

"Oh, that's nothing worthy..." His interlocutor answered..

The beep sounds were coming from a big item at the back of the office. It was high enough, mostly made of wood, and a screen could be seen on the facade. The red haired man had already seen this kind of machines, and he knew it was a fon video arcade one. It read "Pac-Man" above the screen.

"Pac-Man?! I didn't know you were nostalgic, Mr the Necromancer !" He was surprised and he smirked.

"Oh well, so you waited the whole time to discuss about Retrogaming with me? It moves me, since it comes from you, Mr the Bloody !" Curtiss retaliated before grinning widely.

"Oh shut up, you know very well I'm not Asch! I've other things to do than to speak about those things with you! I certainly didn't wait a whole hour to deal with video games!" He began to shout.

"Why have you come then?" Jade asked, with a serious tone.

"I don't have much time left, so let's hurry up, will you?" The red haired man added.

"You never really had time, did you... Anyway, what is bothering you?"

Some times ago...

The world was peaceful since Van had been defeated and everyone was able to take some rest before resuming one's activity.

Natalia, though from poor origins, went on with her princess duties, acting for peace between the Kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and the Malkuth Empire. She served as a perfect mediator during the negotiations and she remains an ambassador of peace across the world. She's highly regarded by her subjects, but also by the leaders of the two kingdoms, and she is about to become Kimlasca's new queen.

As for Guy, he left for Malkuth. Having his tittles back , he is now under Emperor Peony's protection. Little by little, he tries to overcome his gynophobia.

Anise went to Daath, in order to reform the order of Lorelei. She watches Florian, wanting to redeem for Ion's death.

Jade went back into Malkuth's army, where his famous talents would always be needed. He was promoted general and resumed his research on fomicry.

Tear withdrew to Yulia City where she meditated at her brother's grave. Indeed, during this final struggle for the planet sake, she had lost two beloved people: her blood and her heart. She bore this heavy but necessary sacrifice. Even so, she didn't lose her faith and was frequently going to the Tataroo Valley, hoping that she would find her lover back. He had promised after all, and she strongly believed he would keep his word...

Several months later, Luke mysteriously reappeared at his friends' sides, which put joy in everyone's heart. His mind wasn't really clear though...

In the following days, he barely went out the manor. Going to and fro in his bedroom, he just couldn't get rid of the mist inside his thoughts, which at the opposite, was thickening. He felt more and more isolated. Gosh, what's happening to me? This question was the only thing clear in his mind. He walked the corridors while trying to answer it in vain. But he didn't speak about it with anyone, despite all the visits he received from his friends.

Against all the expectations, these meetings didn't help much. Especially two of them which were to worsen the situation.

The first one matched the rainy weather of Baticul. Even if the window was soaked with water, he recognized the little pink umbrella of the Kimlascan princess.

Heartbeat.

She seemed to fight against the showers, with her radiant smile. Her outfit is really casual today, the young man thought when he saw his childhood friend. She crossed the alley, to finally reach the door where she knocked. Luke would have liked that no one would let her enter, because he didn't want to see her that day. Without a surprise, she was allowed to go in with all the regards due to her rank. Sighing heavily, he put his coat on and went out of his bedroom. After several seconds, he reached her in the hall of the Fon Fabres' manor.

"Oh, Luke, here you are!" The future queen greeted.

"Hi Natalia, you were looking for me?" He asked, without and interested tone.

"In your opinion?"

"What do you want from me?"

"You don't seem really happy to see me !" She pouted.

"I'm sorry, I'm not in a really good mood... Is something wrong?"

"Nothing of this sort! But can we speak about it?" She asked with a gaze full of hope.

"But we're already talking..."

"I meant, in private?"

"Pff..." The liberator of Lorelei grumbled."

"LUKE!"

"Alright, alright !" He said.

They headed to his bedroom. Despite his bad mood, Luke was glad Natalia came. He just didn't know what to think about it. On the one's hand, he was delighted to be with his old friend of him, and on the other hand, he felt deeply anxious. For a moment, he wanted to hold her in his arms, to help her drying her wet cloths, to warm her up... And a second later, he just urged to share a few words with her, to take some news... Before saying goodbye politely.

Even so, she didn't have more confidence in her feelings than him. It had been several months since she was pondering over the subject, weighing the pros and the cons. Today, she had made up her mind, but the more the room was close, the more her heart was beating. She couldn't go back now...

"Natalia, something's bothering you?" Luke asked because of Natalia's silence.

"No, that's nothing!" She answered, shaking her head.

"Oh I see! It's the first time your entering a man's bedroom, right?"

"LUKE!"

"Alright, I'm just kidding!" The future duke reassured her.

He opened the bedroom's door. She saw without a surprise that the room was completely clean, thanks to the numerous housemaids who worked in the manor. The floor was shining and nothing remained messy. However, she was surprised to see the apparition of a mischievous creature, which she had met during their journey...

"MIEU!" The sacred beast of Lorelei squealed.

"Hi, Mieu! You seem to be fine!" She greeted politely, more concerned about speaking with Luke while caressing the cheagle.

"Say Mieu, can you leave us alone for some minutes? Natalia has something important to tell me in private." Luke questioned.

"Okay! See you soon, Master! MIEU!"

The cute creature went out to walk the Fon Fabres' mansion again.

Heartbeat.

"Well Luke, I would like to ask you something..."

"I guess so, since you wanted to see me alone so badly..."

"Yes... Well, here we go... Luke Fon Fabre, I have come to propose to you." She exclaimed with a reverence.

And his heart beat stronger still.

He hoped it, and feared it at the same time. He strongly hesitated between running away, or holding her in his arms. Now that he was torn apart between these two temptations, he couldn't escape anymore. What should he do? To reject his lover, or to please the future queen?

"Huh... Luke?"

"Why, yes?" He answered, out of his painful thoughts.

"I'm waiting for your answer! It was hard to say, I would like to hear what you think about it!" Natalia began to worry.

"Huh... I'd say black!"

"So it is! Have you already forgotten what I've just asked to you?"

Her words resounded loudly in his mind. The latter was misty but soon became stormy. The young man was at a loss for words for a long while, not knowing what to reply. Faced to his silence, she too became wordless and doubtful. Maybe I should have said it gentler... Her bravery left her, all the more since their uneasiness was growing. For the fiancés, the weather was much colder inside than outside.

"I'm sorry Luke, I have been too hasty, I shouldn't have... Listen, you just have to enjoy this rainy day to think about it, and you will give me your answer tomorrow!"

"Huh..."

"Well, I'm not going to bother you any longer..." She interrupted quickly, panicked.

She turned round towards the door, ready to leave the room faster than when she entered it.

Luke remained alone for a while, puzzled. This proposal added a big weight to his self rift. However, it didn't take long before he was pulled out of his thoughts... In the very evening, another person asked for him. He soon regretted not to have gone to bed, since this last visit was to trouble him even more.

Someone knocked at the door. Who can it be at this hour, Luke thought. He went and open it, thinking it had to be someone important who needed his help. He even feared the worst, assuming that Natalia wanted her answer already... He was relieved and surprised when he saw Tear.

Another heartbeat.

"Good evening Luke, I'm sorry I got here that late, I hope not to bother you..."

"Hello Tear! You're not bothering me at all! Is something wrong?"

"No, that's not it, I just wanted to see you, but the carriage was really late, and that's why I only was able to arrive now!"

Luke blushed at this idea. She wanted to see him? It worried him. On the one's hand, he found her as beautiful as always, and he was flattered she had come. On the other hand, he found her as uninteresting as always, and he was bored by her presence. No sooner had she arrived, than his internal rift resumed with force. He didn't even notice that Vandesdelca's sister was already in his room... The dialog resumed:

"Oh come in then... Huh..."

"Are you feeling well?"

"Oh, yes yes, sure! What about you?"

Tear looked at him with worries. She doubt about the sincerity of his answer because she did see his mind was away... However, she wasn't more at ease than him tonight. She knew why she was there, but she had lost the confidence that motivated her journey. Being alone with Luke seemed unbearable to her that night. But the Locrian Sergent hadn't come all this way for nothing, therefore she broke the silence, determined:

"Luke, you're still a bad liar... I'm not blind, you're not yourself since you had returned. Why don't you speak with anyone? Do you think it is smart to keep it for yourself?"

"It's none of your business, give me a break!"

"Oh, thank you to be that nice with me! I'm just trying to help! You remind me of Asch, being that sullen!"

Heartbeat.

"Tear, it is something that only I must deal with! I don't want to confess a problem that I already handle well myself!"

"You're still lying!"

"How can you be so sure about it, whereas even I am not sure about anything anymore?! You don't understand, Tear!"

This last sentence made her beginning to lose her temper. You idiot... You're a true idiot! She couldn't believe that he didn't noticed anything after all this time they had spent together. On the contrary, he seemed even more distant than before, and it pained her.

She was always meddling with his business, and it annoyed him even more since he had returned. But at the same time, he couldn't help but like her.

Midnight chimed in the mansion, breaking the silence between the two young people.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"No, I'm the one sorry, I shouldn't have talked to you that way! It's right you've changed, I don't have to care about what you say or do... You are trustworthy now."

"Thanks, Tear. You've always been there for me, even after Akzeriuth..."

"Luke, if I came here, it is because I have something to confess to you for a long time."

"Really?"

"It is not easy to say, but Luke, I wanted to say that I..."

"Mieu!"

"But what are you doing here, you!?" The young heir shouted.

"Nothing, I was watching you talking, and I found it cute! Why are you blushing, Master?"

"Because you're bothering us at the wrong time! You do see that it annoys me, don't you?"

"NOT AS MUCH AS ME!"

The young man was so surprised to see his friend that angry to have been interrupted at this very moment; and even if he only was a cheagle, the poor Mieu was about to feel the ultimate fonists' wrath:

"NIGHTMARE!"

"Mieu?"

The sacred beast of Lorelei couldn't even understand what happened to him, that Tear finished to sing the fonic hymn which would make anybody falling asleep. The creature fell on the ground in a deep slumber.

"Huh... Tear? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Not in the least! If even Mieu interrupts, I will never be able to tell it to you!"

"To tell me what?"

With an unexpected ardor, she grabbed Luke by the collar and kissed him with passion. The latter had his eyes as wide open as his pet's ones, and surprised himself to lean into the kiss... and to like it. But his common sense seemed to want it otherwise...

Bothered again by this other hesitation, he broke apart.

"Huh, Tear, I..."

"Now you know what has been haunting my minds for a long time. I had to know if you felt the same way..."

"And... Did you find what you were looking for?"

"You didn't give me a clear answer. As if something was really troubling you..."

Fast heartbeat.

Tear was doubtful. She knew she could help him, she had already saved him, after all... He looked so ill at ease since his comeback, she had to support him, even if she had to destabilize him... But now, she feared her behavior had even more troubled him. What if he doesn't love me? Was I wrong, in the end? For the first time since a long while, she felt weak and helpless...

"You're right. I don't know what's going on, but since I've returned, I'm not that happy... I appreciate you confessed to me, and I would like to give you a real answer... But for now, I can't. I must clear some things up first, and I'm afraid you can't help me this time... When it'd be over, I will be able to answer; until then, I fear that you 'll have to wait... I'm sorry."

"No, don't worry, I'm the one who should apology! I shouldn't have been that hasty, I was stupid... Listen, take your time to think about it, and when you're done, I will be ready to hear what you have to say. It's late, I will let you think about it peacefully..."

"Thanks, Tear, thanks for understanding me !"

"You know Luke, you may be the only one able to solve your problems, but don't reject people's help... You should talk to Jade, for instance!"

"… You're talking about THE Jade? He's in the army, he's not a psychologist!"

"I know, but I still believe he could help you. Don't forget you've been this way since you've returned, there may be an explanation..."

"True, true... I'll go and see him tomorrow!"

"See you soon, Luke!"

"Bye Tear, thanks for all!"

No, Luke, thank you... She told herself, a tear rolling on her cheek. Outside, the rain had stopped, and Luke hoped to have a day with sunny intervals for his first stroll since a long time.

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_About one year ago, I got an idea about Tales of the Abyss, and told Celice Chalphy (u/2473936/) about it, so we decided to share it with an OS. After 6 months writing it with a lot of interruptions and editings, it's been uploaded on our deviantArt accounts, and now, I upload it here. Don't hesitate to leave us some comments and/or reviews!_

_Enjoy!_

**_Disclaimer: We do not own any character, they are properties of Namco Bandai, all rights reserved_**


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